Oops, the princess is surrounded by the male protagonists

On the fourth day, the atmosphere of the martial arts tournament reached its peak, with all the arenas entering the final stage. The competition between the three upper sects and the famous sects was particularly fierce, with the sounds of fists and feet clashing and weapons exchanging blows echoing one after another.

However, in the nameless sect arena area at the foot of Zixiao Temple, the battle situation presented a peculiar "clear" picture.

After several unbelievable rounds of elimination, only four people from the People's Protection League remained to compete for the championship.

"Is there even a need to look? The champion of the arena down the mountain is definitely 'White Plague God'!"

The onlookers were no longer surprised by this result.

"That's right! Even if her two fellow disciples are very powerful, they probably wouldn't dare to go on stage with her. They might as well just admit defeat!"

"Tsk tsk, from the start of the competition until now, not a single tough battle has been fought. It's all thanks to the opponents' bad luck or giving up. This way of winning is truly unprecedented!"

Just as everyone expected, Zhuang Xiaoye didn't even step onto the stage. He simply clasped his hands in a fist salute to the referee and then spoke loudly.

"I concede defeat! I wish my young master a resounding victory!"

"Sure enough!"

"This result is really disappointing!"

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, all eyes were on Hua Mu'an and Ling Xuzi, who were about to take the stage.

With a light touch of their toes, the two leaped onto the stage simultaneously. One was dressed in simple robes, exuding a faint sense of aloofness, while the other was dressed in fiery red, her eyes brimming with arrogance.

"Ah Da, actually, there's no need for this match at all. Whether we spar privately or compete openly, when have you ever truly beaten me?"

Hua Mu'an looked at his elder brother and teased him with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Ling Xuzi simply smiled slightly. He did not reply, but instead slowly raised his hand and gestured for him to enter.

"Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Hua Mu'an drew his longsword with a clang, using the Gentleman's Sword Technique! The longsword aimed straight for Ling Xuzi's vital point, moving so fast that it was impossible to follow.

Ling Xuzi neither dodged nor evaded, but instead drew his longsword, displaying the same gentlemanly swordsmanship!

In an instant, swords flashed and figures flew across the arena, the sound of metal clashing against metal was deafening.

Although their sword techniques share the same origin and the same underlying principles, their different personalities and temperaments result in completely different styles.

Hua Mu'an's sword is agile and unpredictable, combining the orthodox and the unorthodox, like a celestial horse galloping through the sky, making it difficult to grasp.

Ling Xuzi's sword is steady and heavy, seemingly simple yet profound, like a deep pool and a towering mountain, as stable as Mount Tai.

"Excellent swordsmanship! I never expected that the People's Protection Alliance would have such a top-notch swordsman!"

The audience below the stage was completely engrossed, with cheers and applause rising and falling.

"This is a true duel between masters! It's much more exciting than the matches between the three upper sects!"

The two exchanged blows, hundreds of moves in the blink of an eye. Their swordplay grew faster and faster, and the surging internal energy stirred up dust on the arena, forming an invisible wall of energy.

Just when everyone thought this would be a protracted battle, or even a battle that would result in mutual destruction, Ling Xuzi's sword technique suddenly changed. He found a barely perceptible gap in the complex sword shadows, and with a slight tremor of the sword tip, he broke through Hua Mu'an's defense with what seemed like a slow but actually swift movement.

He struck with the sword flat, precisely landing near Hua Mu'an's chest acupoint, but he controlled the force perfectly, subduing the enemy without harming him.

Hua Mu'an was jolted, his inner strength instantly stagnated, and he staggered back several steps. His long sword clattered to the ground. He clutched his chest, his face showing little sign of defeat but rather a hint of astonishment.

"I lost?"

Just as Hua Mu'an was filled with doubt, Ling Xuzi walked up to him and spoke calmly in a voice that only the two of them could hear.

“Ah Er, it’s not that I can’t beat you from childhood to adulthood, it’s just that I always give in to you because you are my younger brother, that’s all.”

Hua Mu'an suddenly looked up, his eyes swirling with emotion. Then he lowered his voice and spoke softly.

"Then why not allow it this time?"

Ling Xuzi's gaze shifted slightly, seemingly casually sweeping towards the direction where Bai Yue was standing below the stage.

He looked back at Hua Mu'an, his voice lowered, yet carrying an unprecedented seriousness and relief.

"This time... I hope to truly defeat you in front of the fairy."

Hua Mu'an was stunned upon hearing this. Then he recalled the time when the two of them argued about who should give Bai Yue the jade pendant when they were children. That was the first time Ling Xuzi had ever tried to take something from him.

"Big Brother is actually just an ordinary man!"

From childhood to adulthood, Hua Mu'an was always jealous of Ling Xuzi's composure in the face of adversity and of his experiences at Zixiao Temple.

He couldn't understand why the other person could live alongside a compassionate person like Yinian Zhenren, while he had to go mad alongside that madman Hua Yixiao.

But seeing the childishness the other person displayed in order to win in front of Bai Yue, all the pent-up envy and resentment suddenly vanished.

Hua Mu'an wondered if the other person sometimes envied her for being able to live a carefree and unrestrained life, daring to love and hate.

He first smiled, then burst into hearty laughter, as if he had finally resolved a long-standing issue.

"Referee, I concede! I'm simply outmatched!"

After laughing, Hua Mu'an spoke loudly to the referee who was waiting for the verdict. Then he walked to Ling Xuzi's side, patted his brother's shoulder, and leaned close to his ear to speak in a somewhat teasing tone.

"Brother, why are you arguing about this? Didn't Xiaoyue already say that she treats each of us the same? There's no difference in status, so there's no need to compete."

Ling Xuzi's body stiffened slightly, and then his usually cold and tense brows suddenly relaxed, as if something heavy had been quietly lifted off his shoulders.

A flicker of realization crossed his eyes, and then he nodded gently to Hua Mu'an. His long-held obsession vanished in that moment.

"Since the opponent conceded, the winner of this round is..."

Before the referee could finish speaking, Ling Xuzi's face suddenly turned "pale," and he put his hand to his chest, speaking "unsteadily."

"Referee, I just fought my brother with all my might, and my internal energy was greatly depleted. I have also suffered some internal injuries and am no longer able to fight. I have decided to... forfeit the final match and withdraw from the championship battle."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent for a moment, then erupted in discussion once again, more intensely than ever before!

"What? He gave up too? Then... then wouldn't that mean..."

"Bai Dazhuang of the Protectorate of the People has won without a fight and automatically advanced to the top spot in the arena down the mountain?!"

Although everyone knows this is reasonable, it is still hard to accept at first hearing.

"My God! She hasn't played a single proper match since the start of the competition! It's all thanks to her opponents conceding or her bad luck!"

"The power of this plague god has reached such a level?! This is simply the most outrageous champion in the history of the martial arts tournament!"

All eyes turned to Bai Yue, who had been quietly watching the fight from the beginning, while Yuwen Cheng stepped onto the stage and loudly announced...

"Bai Dazhuang of the Protectorate of the People is the champion of this arena and will participate in the final competition for the title of Martial Arts Alliance Leader tomorrow!"